10:1 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the
children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
10:2 Then said David, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of
Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me. And David sent to
comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And
David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.
10:3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun
their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father,
that he hath sent comforters to thee? hath not David [rather]
sent his servants to thee, to search the city, and to spy it
out, and to overthrow it?
10:4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the
one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the
middle, [even] to their buttocks, and sent them away.
10:5 When they told [it] to David, he sent to meet them, because
the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at
Jericho until your beards are grown, and [then] return.
10:6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made
themselves odious before David, the children of Ammon sent and
hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba,
twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and
of Ish-tob twelve thousand men.
10:7 And when David heard of [it], he sent Joab, and all the
host of the mighty men.
10:8 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in
array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and
of Rehob, and Ish-tob, and Maacah, [were] by themselves in the
field.
10:9 When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him
before and behind, he selected of all the choice [men] of
Israel, and put [them] in array against the Syrians:
10:10 And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of
Abishai his brother, that he might put [them] in array against
the children of Ammon.
10:11 And he said, If the Syrians shall be too strong for me,
then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon shall be
too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
10:12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our
people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that
which seemeth him good.
10:13 And Joab and the people that [were] with him drew near to
the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
10:14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had
fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the
city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to
Jerusalem.
10:15 And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before
Israel, they assembled themselves.
10:16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that
[were] beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach
the captain of the host of Hadarezer [went] before them.
10:17 And when it was told David, he assembled all Israel, and
passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set
themselves in array against David, and fought with him.
10:18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew [the
men of] seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty
thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host,
who died there.
10:19 And when all the kings [that were] servants to Hadarezer
saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with
Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the
children of Ammon any more.
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